Family Is All That Matters
by Hyyerr
Summary: Carl goes missing during a trip to the beach and Jimmy will do anything to save him and the rest of his friends, even if it means hurting them...(My first fanfic so any and all feedback will be greatly appreciated.) Rating might change to M based on what happens in the story.
1. Pre-write

This is just a test run of the formatting and other technical difficulties that might plague my writing. So I'm just going to upload this now just to see how it will turn out. Disregard any incorrect grammar or spelling mishaps.

I'm very new to writing fan fictions so I really am gonna try my best here to deliver a impactful and thoughtful story. Hopefully one that you can look back on and remember having a good time reading it. I really don't know what series to do first though. I mean I have some pretty good ones in mind but I don't completely know which one would be right for me.


	2. Chapter 1:The Intro To Retro

The days were long and the nights seemed even longer for the gang now that summer was finally here. Sophmore year had been hard for them, getting accustomed to their new schedules and other things. It was hard, but they loved every second of it. From having lockers next to each other to being able to sit with each other it was great. Whenever someone had trouble academically they would ask for help from Jimmy and they all passed their respective classes. Even Sheen got recommended for honors Algebra. Sheen was so happy to be able to go home and tell his Mom the news. His father had passed away recently but they were taking it well. With help from Jimmy's parents supporting Sheen's Mom and Jimmy supporting Sheen they got through it fine.

With the gang becoming older naturally so did their bodies. Jimmy decided that he didn't want to be scrutinized by his body so over one summer he worked out and it made him tone and lean. He still couldn't take on Butch for his life though. Jimmy wore his hair in a pretty fashionable faux hawk because he loved to be different. He stood at a height of 5'8 which was pretty normal for a guy his age. Cindy and Libby got even more beautiful with their bone structure becoming more prominent and their style changing for the better. They both were around 5'6 which was fine with them. Sheen stood at 6'1 which was pretty tall for a sophmore. He kept his hair spikey and his body got lean and muscular. His height made him an ideal player for the JV Basketball team. Carl uhh, he just stayed fat. But where he lacked in physical appeal he made up for in charm. Carl lost a little weight and pretty much stayed the same old Carl.

The gang loved to hang out at night. They didn't know why but night time just made everything seem so much more interesting. It was a chilly night and they were just walking along the beach. Jimmy and Cindy walked together, Libby and Sheen walked together and Carl just lagged behind taking it all in. The night sky was so beautiful in Retroville. The stars twinkled like fireworks going off in the middle of the 4th of July. There was always a new color or sight to be seen.

"Jimmy, you ever wonder what's behind all those stars? Like how many worlds are out there and if there's someone else looking at our world wondering the same thing?" Cindy whispered. Jimmy had pondered this question a lot and every time he thought of all the worlds he couldn't ponder any further.

"I wonder that question every time I see the sky Cindy." Jimmy whispered back. They walked, their hands gently touching each other but neither seemed to notice. Cindy always thought their relationship would blossom over time like the most intoxicating rose. But it never did.

"Jimmy, you know what my favorite galaxy is?"

"No, which one is it?

"Andromeda. It's so far away but when we're long gone our galaxies will collide and create something so beautiful you couldn't imagine it. I only wish I could live that long to see it. But hopefully my children's children or whatever will witness it."

"Well one can only dream." Jimmy often dreamed about his future and what it meant for his friends and family. Valedictorian was already bascically assured with his GPA and the recommendations. He always wanted to put his parents in a big house where they would never need to worry about working and they could just enjoy life and more importantly enjoy each other. His friends would also be a part of his success. They were the ones that kept him going with his experiments and their critisism when they were younger pushed him even further to his goals. Jimmy had never noticed how much his friends had been there for him until he walked along the beach with the people he would die for. He loved them and they loved him. It was perfect, like the beach. But Jimmy knew even beaches faded away sometimes. He would never let anything come between them.


	3. Chapter 2:Late Night Visit

His eyes fluttered open like a butterflys' wings. He rose up and felt his palms across the soft nuturing sand. He took it all in. The smell of the sea water and the shells that hurt your feet if stepped on incautiously. He stood up and look around him. There lay his friends who slept beside one another. He looked to Jimmy who laid close to Cindy and he realized that when they awoke their eyes would meet. He laughed thinking of how they both would stammer over what did or didn't happen last night. He looked to Sheen and Libby, they were wrapped in each others arms. Nothing sexual or explicit, just enjoying each others company and the security they bought to each other. The two of them had been dating for years and he wondered if they would even get married sometime in the near future. The future. Carl dreaded thinnking about it, he didn't know what he wanted to do in life. Not like Jimmy, he knew every exact detail and how his life would play out. He stopped thinking about it and just focused on what he would do until they rose from their stooper. He looked around and saw a tall figure in the distance. It was just standing there. It approached Carl slowly but fast enough where he was intimidated. Carl was a distance away from his friends so screaming for help might go unheard or brushed off due to their sleep.

 _2 Days Later..._

Cindy lay in her bedroom still right across Neutron's room. She glanced over to his even though he wasn't there. She looked at the lights that had remained off for the last 24 hours. Jimmy had been in the lab non-stop ever since Carl disappeared from the beach. She knew it wasn't healthy. She knew his brain was going on overdrive from the sleep deprivation. She grabbed a green hoodie and some black pants and walked over. The air was cool and it chilled her bones as she stepped outside. She took in the air and it ran throughout her body like a full shot of caffeine. She crossed the street without any hesitation or thought. The same pavement she had been crossing for years. She realized if this street could talk it could tell her life story. Jimmy's lab door opened as soon as the iris scanner recognized Cindy Aurora Vortex. Jimmy received a visitor notification and readied himself for his guest. Cindy came down the elevator and didn't expect what she saw. Jimmy was casually laying back sipping hot chocolate watching _The Evil Dead_ with Bruce Cambell. "Jimmy are you ok?" she asked from behind him.

"Yea, just watching a classic." he said back.

"Well, I just came over here to check up on you, I was worried you weren't getting any sleep over what happened to Carl."

"Are sure I'm the one that needs to be checked up one?" Jimmy said raising a eyebrow with a comical expression.

"Yea you butt, you've been in the lab for two whole days!"

"Sorry, you should stay Cindy..."

"Why?"

"I'm worried about you Cindy, we can watch a movie and talk about what I'm gonna do in the morning."

"I- I guess I could stay the night, but don't try anything funny Neutron." she said smiling. Jimmy sat on a couch and Cindy layed on a bed Jimmy had put down there and watched as Cindy slowly drift off to sleep. Jimmy took off his casual clothing and put his lab coat back on. There was work to be done and if whoever took Carl hurt him, there would be hell to pay...

A/N: Guys if you've enjoyed this chapter or the last it would mean a lot if you wrote a review. Even if it was just one person to tell me they like it I would continue the story. Any feedback would be appreciated and I'll most likely respond to every comment or question. See ya in the next chapter guys, have a good one!


	4. Chapter 3:Inner Machinations

-The Lab-

Jimmy sat in the lab working on a way to find Carl, he looked and saw the radiating rays of the sun shining through one of his windows above. He knew Cindy would be awaking soon, he stopped his work not wanting her to know how he turmoiled about the search.

*Yawn*

"Cindy, you're awake.." Jimmy said smiling as he carresed her hair.

"Jimmmmy!" she said laughing and pushing his hand away. "We're NOT dating!" she growled playfully. Their laughter filled the warm air.

"I know Cind, I know."

"Sooooo, what were you up to since you woke up before me?"

"Honestly I was just tinnkering around the lab nothing too major."

"You're not trying to find Carl are you?" she frowned. "We all agreed that we'd let the authorities handle since it could be too dangerous."

"No, I'm sticking to what we all agreed, I've actually been trying to keep my mind off it quite a bit." Jimmy looked away when he said this, not able to look her in the eye.

 _"Cindy just wouldn't understand." he thought. "She dosen't know what it was like to have to be there when Carls' mom was told about his abduction."_

Jimmy realized at that moment in time that Cindy was holding his hand. He blushed deeply looking away again. Cindy did the same though she longed for his gaze.

"Ahem!" Jimmy fake coughed to ease the tention while breaking the contact. Cindy was slightly dissappointed but understood why he did so. Their relationship was complicated to say the least. Some days they looked like the lovliest couple and other days they barely spoke after a meager little dispute. Lately though Jimmy seemed more clear-headed, calm, and overall tranquil. But it was all a facade. ""Well Cindy, you should probably get back home before someone notices your gone."

"Yeah, Yeah Neutron." she said before hugging him goodbye. They embraced in each other's arms for a full minute before something poked her thigh. "Whoa Neutron! I'll leave before I get you too excited!" she said laughing hysterically.

The only words Jimmy could muster were "Sorry." while rubbing the back of his head.

-Some Time Later-

Jimmy was finally working on the first part of his plan. It required doing something very drastic but the end's justify the means. He updated, reworked, and innovated VOX. He then implanted a neural implant into the back of his brain. He installed VOX into a A.I chip and then tested it many times for malfunctions and crashes. Jimmy felt around for the new implant and was impressed that it would go so unnoticable.

"Alright, I'm only gonna get one chance for this to work out."

He had Goddard do the procedures despite his protests and was put unconscious to keep him calm during the whole thing. Goddard insersted the chip in and silently awaited for his master to awaken.

-In Jimmy's Mind-

Jimmy sat in a field that ran on for so long it seemed like a ocean. The stars were above him. The Andromeda Galaxy seemed so close, like the galaxies were just about to collide.

"It's beautiful..." Jimmy confessed in awe

" I know, I love it here already." Jimmy looked over to see a little girl with black hair, auburn skin, and the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen. She looked to be around six but also seemed highly intelligent for her age. She turned to see Jimmy. "Hi, I'm VOX."

"Oh?" Jimmy said dumbfounded. "But y-you're..."

"A little girl?"

"Yeah"

"Well my A.I is incredibly young so naturally my meta-physical form would be young too." Jimmy pondered her reasoning for a minute before he spoke again.

"Well, what would you like to be called? I would call you an actual name than a acronym."

"Well how about Aubrey?"

"Well that's a beautiful name. Nice to meet you Aubrey."

"I'd say the same but I've known you my entire life." she laughed uncontrollably like a small child would and Jimmy couldn't help but smile. Aubrey yawned and laid down next to Jimmy.

"James..."

"Yes?" Jimmy choked out the words.

"Do you mind if we just lay here a while? The procedure took it's toll on me as well.

"Oh" Jimmy said, his voice softening "Sure, we can lay here as long as you like." Aubrey climbed under Jimmy's arm arm and he wrapped it around her and they stayed like that for what felt like hours. They stared at Andromeda. Aubrey's eyes began to flutter and soon they fell, still, and unmoving. Jimmy didn't want to disturb her so he stayed there unable to sleep in his own mind.

"The inner machinations of my mind are an enigma." Jimmy quietly whispered. He then turned to look at Aubrey. He stroked her hair and he thought it felt like a flowing river. He then turned to Andromeda, and just gazed...

 **Hey guys just wanted to say that if you like the story chapters probably will get longer and longer the more I write. That's it guys Hyyerr signing off...**


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